Northern India, Uttar Pradesh, Ahichchatra, Gupta period (c. 320-550) / 400s
Amorous Couple (Mithuna)
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Amorous Couple (Mithuna) as sculpture (Northern India, Uttar Pradesh, Ahichchatra, Gupta period (c. 320-550) · 400s).
The site of Ahichchatra retains ruins of a pyramid-shaped brick temple dedicated to Shiva.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this sculpture as terracotta.
The museum's collection notes: Amorous couples were among the most prevalent imagery on the exterior of sacred sites in early India. Their life-affirming imagery was considered auspicious. This roundel would have been part of a brick structure, since terracotta was typically used in the ornamentation of brick temples, instead of stone.
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The Cleveland Museum of ArtAmorous Couple (Mithuna)Original explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.